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An Edmonton woman who owned two large Cane Corso dogs that killed an 11-year-old boy in 2024 will serve a conditional house arrest sentence of two years less a day, a judge decided Thursday.
Crystal Jean MacDonald, 46, was found guilty of criminal negligence causing death in May following a judge-alone trial at the Edmonton Court of King’s Bench. Kache Grist was killed on April 1, 2024 after MacDonald’s two dogs attacked him.
Justice Eric Macklin sentenced MacDonald on Thursday. Her conditions include a lifetime ban on owning, supervising, or controlling dogs. She can apply for a leave on this condition in 10 years.
She is also subject to complete 200 hours of community service.
Macklin listed aggravating factors that include MacDonald not properly training her dogs, the previous attacks on humans and the death of two pets, the age and vulnerability of Kache, and the manner of death being “horrific.” But Macklin noted she had showed concern for Kache, there was no intent on her behalf and she had demonstrated “great remorse.”
MacDonald will serve her sentence in Penticton, B.C.
Crown prosecutors sought a five-year incarceration sentence, while defence sought a conditional sentence for two years less a day.
During sentencing Wednesday, court heard an emotional victim impact statement delivered virtually from Kache’s father, Wesley Grist, who described his son as the most important person in his life and part of his identity.
“The grief is constant,” he read to the courtroom adding that he believes that situation was a tragic circumstance.
He told the court that he never wanted revenge for his son’s death and MacDonald will be carrying the weight of his death.
“At no point was my testimony given with anger,” he said. “I never wanted harm to come to her [MacDonald], I know she loved Kache.
“Nothing about this feels like a victory to me.”
MacDonald was also given the opportunity to address the court. Through tears she explained the guilt, grief, and shame she feels.
“I love Kache deeply,” she said. “I think about him every single day.”
“I don’t know how to explain what it feels like to be standing here because of the death of a child that I love,” she said.
Kache’s mother, Kendrah Wong was present in the courtroom Wednesday. Wong submitted a victim impact statement but requested for it to be read privately.
Trial testimonies
MacDonald owned two Cane Corso dogs, Khaos and Khairo, which have since been euthanized. Court heard Khaos weighed about 56 kilograms (124 pounds) and Khairo weighed more than 49 kilograms (109 pounds) at the time of the attack.
During the trial, court heard Kache Grist was visiting his father, Wesley Grist, in Edmonton from Osoyoos, B.C., for spring break and staying at MacDonald’s south Edmonton home.
Wesley testified that on April 1, 2024, his son briefly left the home to buy snacks at a nearby Circle K.
MacDonald was not home at the time.
Grist said he was working in the garage while the dogs remained inside. Kache returned from the convenience store and went inside to play video games.
Grist testified that MacDonald had previously warned him to keep Kache away from the dogs and not to leave him alone with them.
An autopsy found Kache died from a dog-bite injury to the neck. The autopsy also documented injuries to his upper back, shoulders and arms.
During the trial, court heard about previous attacks involving the dogs, including an attack on MacDonald herself, an acquaintance and a former tenant. The dogs had also fatally attacked two pets.
MacDonald testified that she knew the dogs had shown aggressive behaviour before Kache’s death, but believed she had taken steps to manage them, including kennelling them and seeking professional training.
She maintained that some of the previous attacks could have been prevented if people had followed the rules she had established for the dogs.
When Macklin delivered his decision in May, he found the most significant cause of Kache’s death was the failure of MacDonald to take the reasonable steps to ensure that he was not harmed by the two untrained and unpredictable dogs.